Sun Ji (footballer)

Sun Ji
孙吉
Personal information
Date of birth15 January 1982
Place of birthShanghai, China
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11.7 in)
Playing positionRight back
Youth career
2000-2001Shanghai Cable 02
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2002-2010Shanghai Shenhua167(8)
2010-2012Hangzhou Greentown27(0)
National team‡
2007-2008China3(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 Jan 2012.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 September 2009
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Sun.

Sun Ji (Chinese: 孙吉; born January 15, 1982 in Shanghai) is a former Chinese international football player who played as a defender for Shanghai Shenhua along with his identical twin brother and also fellow international footballer Sun Xiang before leaving the club to join Hangzhou Greentown where he ended his career.

Club career

Shanghai

Sun Ji and his identical twin brother Sun Xiang both began their football career playing for Shanghai Cable 02 before the club were taken over by Shanghai Shenhua. They would both graduate to the senior team at the beginning of the 2002 league season and they would both quickly establish themselves as important members within the squad. Sun Ji would personally play in 26 league games and score 2 goals for the team.[1] The following season was to see Sun Ji further establish himself within the team and even help them win the 2003 league title.[2] Unfortunately in 2013 the Chinese Football Association would revoke the league title after it was discovered the Shenhua General manager Lou Shifang had bribed officials to be bias to Shenhua in games that season.[3][4] Sun Ji continued to be a vital part of the Shanghai team for several more seasons and he attracted attention from Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven who invited him and his twin brother, Sun Xiang on trial in November, 2006. PSV coach Ronald Koeman was not satisfied by their performances and did not accept either Sun brother to the PSV team. However, Koeman did not find a satisfactory replacement for left-back over the winter transfer window, so PSV recalled Sun Xiang. Sun Ji returned to Shanghai Shenhua where he continued to be major part of their team.

Hangzhou Greentown

It was confirmed on the website of Shanghai Shenhua that he completed the transfer to Hangzhou Greentown on February 12, 2010. His move would reunite him with his former Shanghai Shenhua manager Wu Jingui and he would quickly establish himself as a vital member within the team as well as also aiding his new club to their best ever finish of fourth and a chance to play in the AFC Champions League for the first time.[5] Due to spinal injury he retired from playing in 2013.

International career

Sun Ji would make his international debut on February 2, 2007 against Kazakhstan in a friendly game in preparation for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, which China won 2-1.[6] While he wasn't called up to the Asian Cup squad he would make another appearance for China against Mexico on April 16, 2008 in a 1-0 friendly defeat.[7] This was followed by another friendly on April 23, 2008 against El Salvador in a 2-2 draw.[8]

Honours

Shanghai Shenhua

References

  1. ↑ "Sūn, Jí". National Football Teams. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  2. ↑ "China 2003". rsssf.com. 18 Apr 2004. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  3. ↑ "Details of soccer referee investigation released to public". chinadaily.com.cn. 2011-03-31. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
  4. ↑ "China Strips Shenhua of 2003 League Title, Bans 33 People for Life". english.cri.cn. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
  5. ↑ "China 2010". rsssf.com. 21 Jun 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  6. ↑ "China PR 2-1 Kazakhstan". teamchina.freehostia.com. 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  7. ↑ "China PR 0-1 Mexico". teamchina.freehostia.com. 2008-04-16. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  8. ↑ "China PR 2-2 El Salvador". teamchina.freehostia.com. 2008-04-23. Retrieved 2012-08-22.

External links